Can opener



1961 G. w. KEAN 2,997,786

CAN OPENER Filed y 25, 1958 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 1961 s. w. KEAN 2,997,786

CAN OPENER Filed May 26, 1958 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 o-\ \KA A0 i": I

% \d I V k INVENTOR.

@.W. KEAN grramvsy 2,997,786 CAN OPENER George W. Kean, Spring Glen, Granby, Conn. Filed May 26, 1958, Ser. No. 737,639 6 Claims. (Cl. 30-9) This invention relates to can openers and more particularly to a can opener having a rotatably mounted cutter acting on the outer folded rim portion of the cover of the can being opened.

-An object of primary importance of the invention is that the cutter operates on an outer surface of the can and has a rolling action which eliminates the objection of fine chips of the metal being produced by the cutting action and also prevents the cutter coming into contact with the contents of he can.

Another object of importance of the invention is that the cutting wheel acts on a portion of the folded over him of the cover member of the can while being held against the portion being cut by a serrated wheel engaging the inside surface of the head of the can.

Another object of the invention is to provide means always urging the can upward against a fixed surface after the cutting wheel has initially been engaged and while the cutting operation continues.

And finally it is an object of the invention to provide means which may preferably be actuated by the main driving means for the feed wheel, to separate the cutting wheel from its pressure wheel to permit insertion of the can between the cutting wheel and pressure wheel and after the can has been positioned for the cutting operation permit movement of the cutting and pressure wheels to move relatively toward each other and be resiliently held in this position during the cutting operation, thereafter the cutting wheel and pressure wheel being slightly separated to permit removal of the cover.

With the above and other objects in view the invention may include the features of construction and operation set forth in the following specification and illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

In the accompanying drawings annexed hereto and forming a part of this specification, I have shown the invention embodied in a wall mounted hand-operated can opener having a single operating handle, but it will be understood that the invention can be otherwise embodied and that the drawings are not be to construed as defining or limiting the scope of the invention, the claims appended to this specification being relied upon for that purpose.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is an outside view of a complete can opener shown in position for operation and made according to the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view showing the principal operative parts of the can opener shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a view partly in section, the section being taken through the center of the column and through the central plane of the driving shaft;

FIG. 4 is a transverse sectional view of the driving connections for the cutting and pressure wheels, the section being taken on the plane of line 3----3 in FIG. 2;

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on the plane of line 5--5 in FIG. 2;

FIGS. 6, 7 and 8 are detail sectional and outline views of parts of the driving connections for the rotary cutting wheel and cam;

FIG. 9 shows details for forcing the cutting wheel from the pressure Wheel, and

FIGS. 10, 11 and 12 are detail enlarged sections showing the relationship between the cutting and pressure wheels and their positions relative to the top of the can being opened,

In the above mentioned drawings, there has been shown but one embodiment of the invention which is now deemed preferable, but it is to be understood that changes and modifications may be made within the scope of the appended claims without departing from the spirit of the invention.

Referring more in detail to the figures of the drawings and first to FIGS. 1 and 2, it will be seen that the can opening device forming the subject matter of this application comprises a body member 16 adapted to be supported in contact with a vertical surface from which it may extend substantially horizontally as shown. One end of the tubular portion of this member 10 is provided with a flange portion 12. to be permanently or removably mounted directly against the vertical wall and held securely thereagainst while being operated by any suitable attaching means.

At the outermost end of this tubular portion of the body member 10 is a generally cylindrical head 14 within which is mounted a transverse driving shaft 16 having a pinion 18 mounted thereon. To rotate the shaft 16 and pinion 18 a hand crank 24} is mounted on the outer end of the transverse shaft 16. In mesh with the pinion 18 is a gear 22 rotatable on the inner end of a short stud shaft 24 rotatably supported in a suitable hearing within the head 14. On the outer end of this stud shaft 24 and outside the wall of the cylindrical head 14 is a pressure wheel 26, secured to the shaft 24, the peripheral surface of which may be serrated slightly to improve its traction of the can being operated on. By rotation of shaft 16 the pinion 18 and bevel gear 22 are always rotated.

Housed within the tubular portion of the body member 10 is a member 28 adapted for slidable longitudinal movement therein. Also within the tubular portion is a strong helically wound compression spring 30 forcing the slidable member always toward the cylindrical head 14. The spring 30 at one end fits within a recess formed in the slidable member 28 and at its opposite end is held against outward movement by an abutment member 32 mounted within the flanged end 12 of the tubular portion. As shown in FIG. 2 the abutment member 32 may be adjusted to vary the compression of spring 30 by means of a screw 34. The screw 34 is held against removal by engagement with a cross piece 36 removably retained within the flanged portion 12 of the body member 10.

Mounted for rotation closely adjacent the wall of the tubular portion of member 10 on a bearing provided on a transverse member 38 extending from the slidable member 28 is a cutting disk or wheel 4th This cutting wheel 40 is freely rotatable on its bearing and its periphery is closely adjacent the periphery of the pressure wheel 26 referred to above. This wheel 40 comprises the rolling cutting tool which effects the cutting action on the can cover. As shown most clearly in FIG. 2, the rolling cutter wheel 40 is forced continuously toward the pressure wheel 26. Also as shown in FIG. 2 the cutting wheel 40, which is formed from a thin circular disk, is supported on opposite sides by thin disks 42 secured thereto and having a diameter slightly less than that of the cutting wheel 49. By this means the periphery of the cutting wheel 40 cannot penetrate the wall of the can member being out beyond its bevelled circular periphery. This is only slightly more than the thickness of the stock from which the cover is made.

The cutting wheel 40 is spaced from the side wall of the cylindrical head 14 by a plate 44 secured to and rotating with the cutting wheel 40. By selection of the proper thickness of this plate 44, the cutting wheel 40 is positioned substantially in alignment with the pressure and driving wheel 26. It will be seen that the axes of rotation of the cutting wheel 40 and the pressure wheel 26 are in one direction will rotate the cam.

disposed at a slight angle to each other and these axes lie in planes parallel to each other. By this means rotation of the wheels in their direction to effect the cutting operation tends to continually force the can upward against the lower surface of the head 14.

To effect movements of the cutting wheel 40 away from the pressure wheel 26 to permit engagement of a can between the adjacent portions of the cutting and pressure wheels, cam 48 is interposed between the back face of the driven bevel gear 22 and the inner wall of the cylindrical head 14. This cam 48 as shown has for convenience an outline comprising two diametrically opposite similar portions of variable radii. One face of the cam 48 is provided preferably with four angularly spaced tapered recesses 50 into which a driving dog 52 housed within gear 22 may enter and with rotation of the gear In the opposite direction of rotation of the gear 22 and dog 52 the cam is not rotated as the dog 52 ratches over the depressions in the cam. Engaging the periphery of the cam 48 is a projection 56 on a member laterally adjustably secured to the member 28 slidable within the tubular portion of the body member 10. In one position of the cam 48 the portion of greater radius engages the projection 56 thus forcing the slidable member 28 and the cutting wheel 40 away from the pressure wheel 26. To effect this separation movement of the wheels the driving shaft 16 and pinion 18 are rotated in a direction to cause the bevel driven gear 22 to rotate to permit the dog 52 carried by the bevel gear 22 to enter one of the notches 52. Further slight movement of the main shaft 16 in the same direction rotates the cam 48 and forces the cutting wheel 4t away from the pressure wheel 22. With this separation movement completed at which time the projection 56 engages the periphery of the cam at its greatest radius, the can to be opened may be inserted between the cutting wheel 4-0 and pressure wheel 26. This is the position of the cutting and pressure wheels and the can shown in FIG. 10. Further rotative movement of the crank shaft 16 in the retrograde or driving direction serves to further rotate the cam so that the projection 56 then engages the portion of the cam 48 of smaller radius. In this position of the cam the cutting wheel 40 can approach the pressure wheel 22. The crank shaft 16 may then be rotated with the bevel gear 22 and pressure wheel 26 in a direction to permit ratcheting of the cam 48 relative to the bevel gear 22.

By continuing rotation of the pressure wheel 26 in this latter direction and with the cutting wheel 40 forced by its spring 30 toward the pressure wheel 26, the entire periphery of the can may be traversed. During this operation the cutting wheel 40 is forced into the outer folded head of the can cover. This position of the cutting wheel 40 and pressure wheel 26 is shown in FIG. 11. With the entire periphery creased or cut deeply into the head of the can cover, the cover will be severed from the can. To separate the cover from the can, the cutting Wheel 40 is slightly withdrawn from the pressure wheel 26 as shown in FIG. 12 by rotation of the cam 48 so that the cover may be removed from the can by forcing the body of the can downward while the cutting wheel 40 remains in contact with the outer bead of the cover. In this position of cam 48 it is engaged by the projection 56 at a position of intermediate radius of its periphery.

During the cutting operation the bevel gear 22 drives the stud shaft 24 and the pressure wheel 26 through a driving connection shown in FIG. 5. The central opening of the bevel gear 22 is provided with several notches 60. Within the shaft 24 are one or more ratchet pawls 62 spring pressed to engage and drive the stud shaft 24 when the gear 22 is rotated in one direction. When the gear 22 is rotated in the opposite direction, the pawls 62 ratchet over and the shaft 24 is not rotated.

In one direction, therefore, the cam 48 is rotated directly with the bevel gear 22 without rotation of the shaft its 4 24. With rotation in the opposite direction of the gear 22 the stud shaft 24 Will be rotated without rotating the cam and thus rotate the pressure wheel 26 to effect scvering of the can cover.

To aid in maintaining the position of the can during the cutting operation a bent metal loop forming a resilient stop 66 may be mounted as shown on the outer end of the transverse member 38. The periphery of the can when being positioned with its rim between the cutting and pressure wheels is placed with its periphery against the outer concaved surface of the member 66. By reason of the slight angle between the planes of rotation of the cutting wheel 40 and the pressure wheel 26 occasioned by their axes lying in planes at a slight angle to each other, rotation of the can during the cutting operation continually forces the can upward against the fixed lower surface of the head 14. This rotation also maintains the can in position against the stop 66.

I claim as my invention:

1. A can opener comprising a body member, a gear rotatably mounted therein, driving means for said gear, a pressure wheel and cutting wheel mounted for rotation adjacent each other and adjacent said body member, ratchet means to connect one of said wheels to said gear for rotation therewith when said gear is rotated in one direction, a wheel separating cam mounted concentrically with said gear, and ratchet means to connect and rotate said cam with said gear when said gear is rotated in the opposite direction.

2. A can opener comprising, a body member, a cutting wheel mounted for rotation thereon, a pressure wheel mounted in said body member, said wheels being disposed with their axes of rotation at an oblique angle to each other and in planes parallel to each other, said wheel being adapted to engage the outer and inner surfaces of a can sealing head, means to rotate one of said wheels, spring means normally forcing the other of said wheels toward the first wheel, and cam means actuated by said wheel rotating means to separate said wheels to permit insertion of a can between adjacent portions of said wheels.

3. A can opener comprising, a body member, a cutting wheel mounted for rotation thereon, a pressure wheel mounted in said body member, said wheels being disposed with their axes of rotation at an oblique angle to each other and in planes parallel to each other, said wheel being adapted to engage the outer and inner surfaces of a can sealing head, means to rotate said pressure wheel, spring means normally forcing said cutting wheel toward said pressure wheel, rotatable cam means concentric with said pressure wheel to separate said wheels to permit insertion of a can between adjacent portions of said wheels, and means to rotate said cam means actuated by retrograde movement of said pressure wheel rotating means.

4. A can opener comprising, a body member, a cutting wheel mounted for rotation thereon, a pressure wheel mounted in said body member, said wheels being disposed with their axes of rotation lying in planes parallel to each other and the planes of said wheels being at an oblique angle to each other, means to rotate said pressure wheel in a direction to traverse said wheels about the periphery of the can being opened, spring means normally forcing said cutting wheel toward said pressure wheel, rotatable cam means concentric with said pressure wheel to separate said wheels to permit insertion of a can between adjacent portions of said wheels, said cam means having two diametrically opposite portions of different radii, and resilient means engaging the periphery of and supporting the can in operative position.

5. A can opener comprising a body member, a gear rotatably mounted therein, a pressure wheel and cutting wheel mounted for rotation adjacent each other and adjacent said body member, rachet means to connect one of said wheels to said gear for rotation therewith when said gear is rotated in one direction, a wheel separating cam mounted concentrically with said gear, ratchet means to connect and rotate said cam with said gear when said gear is rotated in the opposite direction, and unitary means to rotate said gears in opposite directions.

6. A can opener comprising, a body member, a cutting wheel mounted for rotation thereon, a pressure wheel mounted in said body member, said wheels being disposed with their axes in planes at an oblique angle to each other and lying in planes parallel to each other, said wheels being adapted to engage the outer and inner surfaces of the can sealing band of a cover for said cam, means to rotate one of said wheels, spring means normally forcing References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Anderson Nov. 30, 1920 Nordhaus Nov. 16, 1926 Rydquist Sept. 18, 1928 Vergagen Apr. 15, 1952 Landry June 24, 1952 Wilson Sept. 5, 1952 Wilson Oct. 28, 1952 Johnson Nov. 25, 1952 Moore Apr. 20, 1954 Grant Sept. 17, 1957 McLean Nov. 27, 1957 Krist et al. May 19, 1959 FOREIGN PATENTS France Jan. 12, 1932 

